Avian influenza, more commonly known as bird flu, has killed more than eight million birds in Minnesota’s  poultry flocks in 2015.

 

It’s approaching 33 million in Iowa.

 

Some were victims of the flu itself. But the majority have been euthanized to prevent the spread of the disease.

 

As of mid-week, the state had verified 94 outbreaks in 22 counties.

 

Kandiyohi has the largest number of birds affected, with 1,334,700 turkeys at 36 commercial farms.

 

In Nicollet County, all 1,102,900 chickens at one commercial farm have been killed.

 

Closer to home in Stearns County, 596,000 turkeys and 202,500 chickens have died from the disease.

 

Another 689,200 turkeys at nine commercial farms in Meeker County have ben killed because of the flu. 

 

So far, no outbreaks have been reported in Sherburne or Wright counties, and Commissioner Felix Schmiesing, a chicken farmer for almost 34 years, is hoping it stays that way.

 

Schmiesing’s family farm in Palmer Twp. raised about 10,000 turkeys a year when he was growing up. He moved back to the farm in 1974. In 1981, he built the current facility, where he raises about 50,000 chickens up to six times a year. Since that time he has been contracted with GNP (Gold’n Plump).

 

He says it’s aways a priority to keep his chickens healthy, and he’s been taking precautions ever since he started.

 

“We’ve increased biosecurity over the years, but there’s always been a  process - disinfecting boots, trying not to drag things in and out of the facilities,” he says. “But that’s always been the case. We’re a little more diligent than we have been in the past.” 

 

Schmiesing has a method where everyone who enters the barn changes clothing and changes shoes in and out of the barn to prevent contamination.

 

Experts say the bird flu is carried by migratory birds. It is likely spread through contaminated feces that finds its way into poultry facilities and infects chickens and turkeys.

 

“They know ducks and geese carry this, but they don’t get sick. And it’s worse during spring and fall migrations,” says Schmiesing.

 

All it takes is for someone to step on feces and walk into a poultry barn. Another theory, says Schmiesing, is that  heavy spring winds can blow contaminated leaves, feathers or other objects into barns.

 

He says the virus doesn’t live very long outside the host and it can be killed by disinfecting and by temperatures above 80 degrees.

 

The problem is, once it hits, it can spread quickly. “The mortality rate in a three-day period will go to 80 or 90 percent,” he says.

 

Healthy chickens are usually pretty active and observant. That changes once they get bird flu.

 

“Now when I walk in they’ll move away. So I can see they’re up and moving around,” says Schmiesing. “The first thing that happens is they get listless. Then they become “stargazers” because of lesions in the neck.”

 

And once the flu is detected, there isn’t a way to isolate the sick birds.

 

“Once it’s in the barn, the protocol is to depopulate and take care of the birds on-site,” says Schmiesing.

 

That’s what’s been happening in many poultry facilities throughout the state and other parts of the Midwest. 

 

And it’s not just commercial operations that are being affected. Some small chicken farms, “backyard farms” and free-range operations have been affected as well.

 

One small farm in Pipestone County lost 150 birds to the flu. Others in quarantine areas are being tested, although those are more difficult to monitor, says Schmiesing.

 

In the case of commercial operations, many birds have blood tests weekly to check for the disease. So far, says Schmiesing, no infected birds have been found on his farm or any others contracted with GNP.

 

He says the industry has always taken precautions to keep birds healthy. Along with blood tests, there are notification requirements, quarantine areas and permits for transporting feed and poultry supplies. Now there is talk of new air filtration systems and even a potential vaccine, although it might be difficult to figure out how to use it.

 

“The consumer doesn’t want that,” says Schmiesing. “I want to raise the healthiest, most cost-effective chickens I can. That’s what’s best for me and that’s what’s best for the consumer. Our chickens get no animal byproducts or antibiotics.”

 

He says his own operation has seen lots of changes over the years, with more to come.

 

“When I built the barn I didn’t think I would have computers for each floor and have a control center in the boiler room,” he says. “So I think you can rest assured that there will be more changes and improvements coming.”

 

The rate of infection has slowed in the past few weeks. Schmiesing says that’s what he expected once migration was over and temperatures started to rise.

 

But he knows it’s not over.

 

“We’ll probably be faced with this again in the fall,” he says. “I think we’re going to be fighting this for a few years.”

 

So far, no human cases of avian influenza have been reported in the United States or elsewhere, according to the USDA.